Summer Bowling

A few weeks ago, the girls and I had a fabulous free bowling experience at Sparians. I had never been to a "bowling boutique and bistro" so I was in for a pleasant surprise when we walked in to what almost seemed like an upscale nightclub. The lighting was dim, the music was rocking and rather than the hard benches at the regular bowling alley, the lanes were lined with leather couches.

We were there for the Thursday Kids Club during which kids under 6 can bowl free from 9am to 11am. The kids were allowed to wear there own shoes so there wasn't even the few dollars needed for a shoe rental. We arrived at 9:30 and our group of 6 (the max # of kids for a lane) was taken to the last remaining lane. It is first come, first serve basis. The staff was super friendly and checked on us frequently to see if we needed anything. On the big screens they had Nick Jr playing which occupied the kids while they waited for their turn.

This was the girls' first time bowling and they really enjoyed it. We started out using the bowling ramps but by the end Anna was throwing the ball (7 pounds) down the lane and even getting a strike or two! Here's Anna loading up her ball:



And waiting in anticipation to see how many pins she knocked over:



And Maddie doing as big sister does:





At 11:00am the lanes shut off and we headed over to the restaurant where also on Thursdays you can get a free kids meal with each paying adult. Another pleasant surprise was that instead of the typical hamburger/hotdog bowling alley menu there was an assortment of fresh salads, veggie options and much more.

I highly recommend checking it out! Here's the link to the Kid's Club.

Happy July 4th!

This July 4th our neighborhood had a parade for the kids to walk/ride on decorated bikes and wagons and then end it all at the clubhouse for ice cream. The girls had a great time despite the heat and every time I would say 'Look, you're riding in a parade' they would get the biggest smiles on their faces.

2010 Scrapbook Review: December

2010 Scrapbook Review: Oct-Nov

OCTOBER:











NOVEMBER:

2010 Scrapbook Review: June-September

JUNE:





JULY:




AUGUST:



SEPTEMBER:

2010 Scrapook Review: Jan-May

JANUARY:



FEBRUARY:



MARCH:







APRIL:









MAY:

A First Step

'Mommy, read the bible to me', Maddie asks as she walks past. This bible that I placed on the dinner table just days before for the very purpose to be read and for truth to be spoken into our family's lives. I had been chewing on this blog article I read recently from Ann Voskamp entitled One Habit that Radically Changes a Family about their tradition of reading the bible after every meal feeling inspired to take a first step.

Our first step has been to simply put the bible on the table where we eat three meals a day. It is there and so we read. And when we stop reading, the girls want more and I can say at the next meal we will continue, and we do. It is a simple first step. And now the hard part that follows is the will to do it. When life gets busy, when we're rushing to the next thing, when we don't land at that dinner table.

Today is Friday, and every Friday we have lunch out with daddy and so we found ourselves at a different table today. But when Maddie came home, she saw the bible on the table and remembered, so we sat down and read. I am thankful for first steps that prayerfully lead to tradition.